Jayalalithaa case: HC raps counsel for Sudhakaran, Elavarasi

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday rapped counsel for convicts V N Sudhakaran and J Elavarasi for wasting precious time of the court by submitting "irrelevant" arguments in the Jayalalithaa disproportionate assets case.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday rapped counsel for convicts V N Sudhakaran and J Elavarasi for wasting precious time of the court by submitting "irrelevant" arguments in the Jayalalithaa disproportionate assets case.

"Do not waste the precious time of the court by submitting irrelevant arguments before it. Try to disprove the charges pronounced in the order given by the trial court," Justice C R Kumaraswamy told counsel T Sudanthiram.

Justice Kumaraswamy is chairing the special bench formed after the Supreme Court had on December 18 last directed the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court to constitute it to decide Jayalalithaa's plea within three months.

The judge also questioned Sudanthiram for submitting arguments of all the convicts, including Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala, instead presenting the arguments of his clients - Elavarasi and Sudhakaran.

"Why are you submitting the arguments of all the four convicts. You should be presenting arguments of your clients," he told Sudanthiram.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, had granted bail to Jayalalithaa on the condition that hearing on her appeal against conviction in the High court should be completed in three months from December 18.

The special court had held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption. The court had awarded four years jail term and also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on the AIADMK chief. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 crore each on the three other convicts.

Apart from Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and her relatives Sudhakaran, erstwhile foster son of the AIADMK leader, and Elavarasi were also convicted.